There are a few everyday foods I don’t buy anymore, including cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and almond butter, because they are easy to make at home, and they taste better. On the flip side, there are several so-called convenience foods I can’t do without. I asked a few of my foodie friends about what they absolutely must make from scratch, as well as their “processed food” picks that get healthy meals on the table fast, and they served up these eight easy to make, better than store-bought foods!
Jessica Fishman Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, Nutritioulicious
Must-have homemade food: Peanut sauce
Why: “Most packaged peanut sauces are really high in sodium and sugar, so I’d rather make my own using natural, unsweetened peanut butter and adding my own amount of sweetener. I also add other flavor boosters like freshly grated ginger and sriracha, which packaged peanut sauces don’t have. Give it a whirl in the blender or food processor and it’s easy as can be!”
Favorite convenience food: Canned beans
Why: “I love adding beans to salads, pasta dishes, sauces, and grain side dishes, but I would not use them as frequently as I do if I had to soak and cook them on my own. Time is of the essence when I’m trying to get dinner on the table in my house! A lot of people are hesitant to buy canned beans because of the sodium content, so I recommend buying the no-salt-added canned beans if you can find them and always drain and rinse the beans before adding to a dish.”
Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RDN, JaniceCooks
Must-have homemade food: Sweet and Hearty Beef Stew
Why: “It tastes better than the canned kind, and it’s better for you. My beef stew has half the sodium, twice the protein, and four times the fiber and vitamin A as the canned variety. It takes just minutes to toss the ingredients into the slow cooker and a hearty, tasty dinner is ready to serve a few hours later.”
Favorite convenience food: Canned pumpkin.
Why: “I tried cooking and mashing fresh pumpkin once and decided that it would be the last time. Canned pure pumpkin is so convenient and nutritious that I stock up every fall to be sure I can use it year round. I use it in muffins, pancakes, smoothies, even chili and enchiladas! ”
Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, Nutrition Starring You
Must-have homemade food: Vegan ice cream
Why: “I don’t like the taste of store-bought vegan ice cream. It’s always high in added sugar and not nearly as high in protein as my version.”
Favorite convenience food: Bagged salad.
Why: “I couldn’t live without pre-washed greens, especially the cabbage blends because they are super filling and don’t get soggy so you can enjoy them for several meals. (Close second: rotisserie chicken for fast, easy lunches and dinners.)”
Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD, Real Mom Nutrition
Must-have homemade food: Salad dressing
Why: “Once I started making my own salad dressing, it was impossible to go back to the gloppy bottled kind–especially the ones with preservatives and artificial dyes.”
Need more salad dressing ideas? Here’s 50 of them.
Favorite convenience food: Jarred pasta sauce
Why: “You can’t beat the convenience of it, and jarred sauce plus frozen ravioli is a last resort meal that saves us from ordering pizza or getting other take-out food. Pair that combination with prewashed greens and dinner is ready in 15 minutes!”
Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, Amy Gorin Nutrition
Must-have homemade food: Almond Pistachio Cocoa Bites
Why: “Unlike a lot of store-bought versions of energy bites, balls, and bars, my recipe contains no added sugar. Plus, they’re delicious!”
Favorite convenience food: Frozen fruit
Why: “Unsweetened frozen fruit is great for when I don’t have fresh in the house. It’s also sometimes preferable. When I use it in smoothies, I don’t need to add ice. And when I heat it up and use it as a topping for a bowl of oatmeal or French toast, it creates a nice liquid that can replace other toppings like syrup or brown sugar.”
Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RD, Shaw’s Simple Swaps
Must-have homemade food: Jam
Why: “I love to make homemade jam not only because I can control the added sugar content, but also because I load it with wholesome, nutrient-rich ingredients, like omega-3 chia seeds, fiber-filled figs and other seasonal fresh fruit. The possibilities are endless!”
Favorite convenience food: Whole grain bread
Why: “I can’t live without whole grain bread! Sure, I can make my own, but there’s nothing like a nice, fresh loaf of 100% whole grain bread with seeds from the store that you can simply take out of the bag and place in the toaster for a quick avocado toast lunch!”
Katie Sullivan Morford, MS, RD, Mom’s Kitchen Handbook
Must-have homemade food: Chocolate syrup
Why: “This beautifully glossy chocolate syrup is a tasty alternative to what you’ll find in the supermarket, products that often have artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and mystery ingredients.”
Favorite convenience food: Frozen fruits and vegetables (among so many others!).
Why: “A bag of frozen spinach within reach is a quick way to up the health benefits of everything from stews to smoothies, and frozen spinach is great in smoothies along with frozen fruit. The nutrient values of frozen fruits and vegetables stay largely intact when produce is put under the deep freeze.”
Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RDN
Must-have homemade food: Granola
Why: “Most store-bought granola is loaded with added sugar and fat. My version has sugar and fat, too, but the fat is the heart-healthy unsaturated kind from nuts, and I add just enough pure maple syrup for a touch of sweetness.
Allspice or Chinese five spice powder provides added sweetness without sugar. For variety, I add 1/4 cup dried wild blueberries or unsweetened coconut during the last few minutes of baking. Add whatever you like to make it your own recipe.”
Kathleen Zelman’s Granola
3 ½ cups old fashioned oats
2 cups finely chopped nuts of your choice (I love to mix pistachios, almonds, walnuts and pecans)
¼ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pure maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
Preheat oven to 325˚F. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients, stirring well to combine.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Transfer the granola to the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown. Higher heat burns the nuts.
Favorite convenience food: Canned petite diced tomatoes.
Why: “These little gems are the perfect addition to so many recipes. They add color, flavor, texture, fiber, and other nutrients. I put them in egg dishes, soups, sauces, stews, guacamole, chili, salsa, spaghetti sauce and anything with a red sauce. You can purchase them fire-roasted, with herbs and spices, and with no added salt.”
Thanks for including me. I can’t wait to try these recipes!
You’re welcome! I can’t wait to try your granola recipe!
What a fun post Liz! Thank you so much for including me!
You’re welcome. I love your homemade jam ideas!
This is such a fun post Liz! Sharing now!
Thank you for sharing the post. That means a lot to me!
Of course! It’s such a fun topic! Thanks for adding my thoughts to it also!
Homemade cranberry sauce may be my kids’ favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. So many other great ideas here too.
I love it, too, but I can’t always wait until Thanksgiving. I just made a batch last night to go with roasted chicken!
I make almost all of these except the chocolate syrup. The chocolate syrup recipe looks SO good and easy! Will be adding this on my list of things to make 🙂
Wow! That’s great. Yes, the chocolate syrup looks delicious. Many thanks to Katie!
Love this post, helping people realize how simple it is to do things better at home where it counts the most. I can’t remember the last time I bought packaged salad dressing!
Thank you! They’re all great recipes that I plan to make.
Great post with wonderful ideas!
Thanks! And thanks to all my contributors!
Agree with all of these! Such a wonderful post; thanks for all the great ideas!
The thanks goes to all who contributed their great ideas!
this is a great round up! Loved seeing what everyone’s favorite convenience food is!
What’s your favorite convenience food?
Wonderful round up! Mine is granola as well 🙂
I don’t usually make granola but I will after seeing Kathleen’s recipe!
Great post! I agree with many of these. I also always make homemade whole grain muffins in a variety of flavors. So much better to have homemade baked goods on hand than store bought ones.
Hi Ann, I cheat a bit. I have good quality whole grain muffin mixes that I add raisins and walnuts to. They are still much better than store-bought!
Such a great post filled with delicious-looking recipes. I know what I am doing this weekend – cooking!
It will be well worth your time! Enjoy!
Love this post idea and so happy to be included. Some great ideas here!!
Thanks for taking the time to be included!
Great selection of recipes. That cranberry orange sauce is so enticing.
Great collection of recipes. That cranberry sauce is so enticing.
And the cranberry sauce is so easy to make. I make it while the rest of dinner is cooking. You barely have to pay attention to it!
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Can’t wait to try the peanut sauce! Lots of great recipes here-thanks!
Thanks, Bridget!
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